Double disconnect switch



Aug. 22, 1933. A, ALsAKER Er AL DOUBLE DISCONNECT SWITCH Filed Dec. 4, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l una @www .W7/.s

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 22, 1933.

Patented Aug. 22, 1933 r orrici DOUBLE DISCGNNECT SWITCH Alfred Alsalrer and Elias S. Corneliussen (called Cornell), tlhieago, ll., assigner-"s to the Delta- VStar Electric Company, Chicago, lill., a Corporation ot illinois Applicaties December 4, 192s. serial No. 411,434 1e calms. (ci. 2teia This inventionrelates to switches `in general, and is particularly applicable to disconnect switches, especially such as are used on high voltages. ,i

Disconnect switches are provided with at least two contact members and at least one of the members is movable. The contacts-are suitably supported on insulating members and the means for operating the ,contacts is insulated from the contacts themselves.

Generally the supporting insulator constitutes the operating member. With increasing voltages a greater distance of separation of the contacts is required. Gn modern high voltage switches the distances involved VareV so great that the movable contact can not be swung directly out of engagement with the other Contact under all conditions of freezing and corrosion without inducing very high stresses in the insulators. To reduce these stresses switches have been designed so as to impart a rectillinear or ice breaking movement to the contact before the full switch opening movement takes place. An insulator is mounted adjacent the rotatable or operating insulator for bracing it and for providing a stationary support for the movable'switch blade or for the usual link mechanism for operating the blade. The cost of the insulators constitutes an appreciable portion of the total costof the switch and this additional bracing insulator adds a considerable amount to the total cost.

In distribution systems it is quite common practice to provide two disconnect switches for selec'- tively connecting a line to either one of two branch conductors, 'or to both of them. It is an object of the present invention to provide a pair of switches for' this purpose, the switches being arranged so that the rotating stacks of the two switches brace one another, thereby eliminating 40 the necessity ofV an additional or bracing insulator foreach of the switches.

The switches may be mounted in alignment in back to back relationship with the rotary insulators of the-two switches Aadjacent one another. A bracket member may be supported on both rotary insulators through suitable bearings, leaving the insulators free to rotate while the bracket remains stationary and acts to brace the insulators. The Vswitches may, on lthe other hand, be mounted parallel to one another with the two i rotatable insulators opposite one another and with a bracket member connecting the two. Likewise the switches may be mounted at right angles to one another with both switches breaking their circuits horizontally or with one of the switches arranged for a vertical break. In either event the rotatable insulators of the two switches are connected together at 'their `free ends so that each braces the other. The switch blades are operated by the rotatable insulators through suitable lini; mechanism which is pivoted `to the -connecting bracket, thereby preventing the rotation of the switch blades as rigid bodies with their respective insulators. l 4 A It is an object of the present invention to provide af switching unit having two switch blades each operated by a movable insulator and said Y insulators bracing one another whereby the blades operated by the switches need not move as rigid bodies with their respective actuating insulators but may be arranged to have any desired motion with reference thereto.`

The attainment or" the above and further objects of the present invention will be apparent from the following specification taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings forming a part thereof.

in the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view 'of our invention.;

Figure 2 is a side ViewV oi ment ol our invention; Y v Figure 3 is a sectional View taken `along* the line 3&3 of Figure 2 and llooking in the direction of the arrows; and y Y Figure l is a fragmentary sectional view show'- ing the manner ofA operation of the switch shown in Figure 2. l

a switch embodying another embodi- Reference may now be had more particularly` to Figure l showing a switch constructed in accordance with our invention. Essentially uthis consistsof two switches each substantially identical to the switch shown in the pending application of Alfred Alsaker and Eric Nordhorn, Serial No. 137,925, tiled September 27, 1926. While we have shown the present invention as applied to a switch such as is shown in the above application, it is-to be understood that the present invention `is not limited to such a switch construction and the switches herein shown may be Vof any other preferred construction wherein the movable blades are actuated by a movable insulator. The switch comprises a supporting base 10 upon Vwhich the various insulators are mounted. The twoswitching units are, indicated at l and 2, respectively, and since in the present embodiment the switches are of identical construction a description of one will be applicable tothe other. The vswitching unit 1 comprises a petticoat insulatorlZ which is bolted.V or otherwise suitably secured to the base 10 by means of an insulator pin 11 in the usual manner. The insulator is provided with an insulator cap 13 upon which is mounted the stationary contact and the various parts associated therewith. The apparatus mounted upon the insulator cap 13 is oa construction identical to that shown in the pending application of Alfred Alsaker and Eric -Nordhem, above Vreferred to, and to which 'reference may be had for a more complete description thereof. Briefly stated, this apparatus comprises an adapter plate 15 which has a terminal 16 secured thereto for receiving a line conductor, which terminalv is securedin firm electrical engagement with a pair of contacts 20 by means of a exible braided conductor 17. The contacts are adapted to receive the contacting end of a switch blade between them. An arcing horn 21 is also mounted upon the adapter. A spring-held latch member 23 is mounted on the 'adapter and is adapted to latch the switch blade and hold the same against upward swinging out of engagement with the contact.

An insulator which isprovided with the usual insulator pin 31 is rotatably mounted upon the base 10 by means of a non-freezing bearing 32. This bearing may be of any desirable construction but we prefer to use a bearing such as is shown in the pending application of Alfred Alsaker for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 137,926, led September 27, 1926. This bearing has a rotatable shaft that extends therethrough and is provided with a square or hexagonal portionv 33 which is adapted to receive an operating crank whereby the same may be rotated and lthrough which the insulator 30 is rotated. The insulator 30 is provided with an insulator cap 35 to which a block 36 is suitably secured. A connecting rod 37 is pivoted at 38 to the block 36 so that upon rotation oi the insulator 30 the connecting rod 37 is moved to the right or to the left, as the case may be. The block 36 therefore constitutes a crank actuated by the insulator and in turn actuating the connecting rod. The detail connections of the above are shown in the above referred to application or" Alfred Alsaker and Eric Nordhorn.

As previously stated, the switch unit 2 is of a construction identical to that of the switch unit 1. A pair of channel members connect the blocks 36 and 36', the channels being mounted upon the opposite sides of the blocks. The channels 40 are mounted on the opposite sides of the blocks 36 by means including a bearing member (not shown) so that the insulators 30 and 30 may rotate with respect to the channel members 40 but vthey are held by these channel membersV in spaced relationship. The channels may be secured in position by means of a plate eX- tending between them and provided with a central opening through which a rounded central portion of the blocks 36 and 36 extend. This may be accomplished in the manner shown in the above referred to application of Alfred Alsaker and Eric Nordhem, or it may be done as shown in the pending application of Alfred Alsaker, Thorsden Fjellstedt and Weldon O. Hampton, Serial No. 350,708, led March 28, 1929. A link 41 is pivoted intermediate its end Vto the channels 40, as indicated at 42, the opposite end of the link being pivoted to the connecting rod-37 by means of a pin as indicated at 43; A switch blade which may be of tubular or any other desired cross-section is pivotally mounted at the opposite end of the link 41, as

indicated at 46. The link 41 is of a construction such as is shown in the above refererd to application of Alfred Alsaker and Eric Nordhem and is provided with one or more shoulders that engage the blade 45 to limit the amount of pivotal movement of the blade with respect to the link 4l.

Upon rotation of the insulator 30 the link 41 is rotated about its axis' 42 thereby drawing the switch blade 45 in substantially a straight line extending lengthwise thereof. -This constitutes a powerful ice breaking movement and is effective to break the end of the switch blade away from the contact 20 should they be frozen together, This likewise causes the blade 45 to clear the latch 23. Upon continued rotative movement of the link 41 a projection upon the link 41 engages the blade 45 and forces it to swing therewith about the point 42 as a centerV thereby swinging it away from the stationary contact and increasing the striking distance from both the contact and the base 10. -The full open position of the switch blade is indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. The switch is designed so that the blade has a movement of substantially 90 'although the extent of this movement may be altered if desired. rlhe switch blade is provided with-an arcing horn 48 that cooperateswith the arcing horn 21 to eliminate any arcing thatV might 'otherwise take place between the-contacting end of the blade 45 and the contact 20.

The channels 40 constitute a brace between the rotary insulators 30 and 30 and constitute a mounting for the respective switch blades so that upon rotation of the insulators the blades do not rotate therewith as a rigid body. A terminal 50 for receiving a line conductor is mounted upon one or" the channel members 40 and is connected to the switch lblades 45 and 45' by means of flexible braided conductors as indicated at 51 and 51'.

The two switching units 1 and 2 of Figure 1 are mounted in longitudinal alignment upon the same supporting base. The present invention is not limited to an arrangement wherein the two switching units are in alignment as the principles of the present invention may be embodied in an arrangement wherein the units are spaced :from one another or are at an angle to one another. Figures 2 and 3 show a switch wherein the two units are mounted upon separate bases in spaced parallel relationship. The switching units are indicated at 60 and 61 and areY of identical design and identical in construction to the switching units l and 2 of Figure 1. The switching unit 60 comprises a mounting base 59 of inverted channel section, although it is understood that the base may be of any other desired construction. The stationary insulator l2 is mounted upon the channel 59 in the usual manner and has mounted thereon a vcontact assembly such as described above in connection with the v stationary insulator oi the switching unit 1 of Figure 1. The rotary insulator 62 isprovided with a pedestal 63 and is mounted upon the channel 59 by means of a bearing in the same manner as is mounted the rotary insulator shown in Figure 1. A block k36 is secured to the end of the insulator 62 in the same manner as .was previously described in connection with Figure l. A housing 55 is mounted upon the block 36, said housing being provided with 'a central opening to which a central projection' at the end of.

the block extends. -A' disc 67 is secured to the projection 66 by means o a bolt 68 that threads into the projection 66. The housing 65 is provided with a collar portion and the `projection 66 rextends freely through said portion so that the insulator 62 is rotatable with respect to the housing 65 which is supported thereby and is held 'against rotation in a manner to be presently set forth. The connecting rod 37 is pivoted to the block S6 by means of a universal pivot so as to permit universal motion of the connecting rod with respect to the block. This 4universal joint is indicated at 38.. The link il is rotatably mounted at 42 upon the housing 65 and has its opposite end pivotally connected Yto the connecting rod 37 as indicated at 43. This construction is identical with that previously described in connection with the switch shown in Figure l. The switch blade 45 is pivotally mounted upon the link 41 at 46. A coiled spring member 70 is provided for urging the blade 45 into a predetermined position with reference to the link 41. This construction is shown in the pending application of Alfred Alsaker and Eric Nordhem above referred to.

A pair of tie rods 73 and 74 connect the housing 65 of the switching units 6G and 6l and thereby prevent rotation of the housings with respect to the supporting insulators.` The tie rods are bolted or otherwise suitably secured to the housings 65. A terminal 75 is secured to the tie rods '73 and 74 and is adapted to receive a line con-V ductor for extending a connection to or from the switches 60 and 6l. The tie rods may be made of copper or other suitable conducting material in order to act as a connector between the terminal and the switches. If desired only one of the tie rods may be made of copper. A flexible conductor indicated at '77 is provided for conducting the current from the tie rod '74 to the switch blade 45 of the switch 60 and a similar flexible conductor '77 is provided for the switch 61.

The switches herein shown are of a known construction and we do not claim any novelty for provided, one for each phase and the corresponding switches of the respective units are gang operated in the usual manner.

In compliance with the requirements of the patent statutes we have herein shown and described a few preferred embodiments of our invention. It is, however, to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise con.- structions herein shown, the same being merely illustrative of the invention. What we consider new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

1. In combination, two insulators, a supportV upon which the insulators are rotatablymounted at one end, a frame member mounted on the opposite end of both insulators, two sets of switching means mounted on the frame, and connecting means between the respective insulators and the switching means for selectively operating the switching means by operation ,of

the respective insulators.

2. In combination, a support, a pair of independently rotatable insulators mounted at one end on said support, a member connecting the v opposite ends of said insulators, two. sets `01E switch gear mounted `adjacent said last. mentioned endsof the insulators and operated by the Y respective insulators and held. by said member against rotation as rigid.` units with said insulators, a terminal lug mounted on said connecting member, and conductors extending from said lug to each of said switch gear.

3. A-pair of switches including four `aligned insulators, a base supporting the same, the two central insulators being rotatably mounted on said base, means for selectively rotating said insulators, means connecting the free ends of said insulators, switching means operated by each of said rotary insulators and held by thecon-` necting means against movement about the axes of the respective rotatable insulators, and contacts mounted on the other two insulators and engaged by the respective switching means.

4. Switching means comprising four parallel Vinsulators in rectangular formation, two adjal 5. A switch comprising a contact supporting insulator and a rotatable switch blade supporting an actuating insulator, a blade supporting member mounted on the rotatable insulator by means including a bearing to permit rotation of the insulator with respect to the member, a switch blade mounted on said member and movable relative to the rotatable insulator, a driving connection between the rotatable insulator and the blade, a second switch similar to the rst switch and spaced laterally therefrom with the two contact supporting insulators opposite one another and the two rotatable insulators oppo- .site one another, and means connecting the blade supporting members of the two switches for holding the blade supporting members against rotation.

6. Switching means comprising a pair of separate axially rotatable insulators adjacent one another and each having a limited rotative movement of less than one revolution, bracing means supported by the two insulators by means including bearings for permitting rotation of both insulators with respect to the bracing i means, a crank on each insulator and rotatablel therewith axially thereof, a switch blade mecha- 'nism mounted on the bracing means adjacent one of the insulators and including a blade pivoted about an axis at right angles to the axis of the adjacent insulator, a connecting rod extending from the crank on one insulator to the switch mechanism, a second switch mechanism mounted on the bracing means adjacent the second insulator and including a switch blade pivoted about v iso an axis at right angles to said second insulator,`

and a connecting rod extending from the crank on the second insulator to said second mechanism for actuating the same, said two switch mechanisms being actuated independent of one another.

7. Switching means comprising a pair of separately rotatable insulators, actuating means at one end of the insulators for actuating them, bracing means between the opposite ends of the on the link, a connecting rod extending from` the crank on the adjacent insulator to the link for actuating the link .to actuate the switch blade, a similar link pivoted to the support adjacent the other insulator and supporting another switch blade, and a second connecting rod extending from Vthe crank on the second insulator to the second link for actuating the same. f

8. Switching means comprising four paralle insulators of Ywhich two adjacent ones are rotatable, contacts mounted on the other two insulators,

switch blades supported by the rotatable insulators and movable into and out of engagement with the contacts, switch gearing between one blade and one rotatable insulator, switch gearing between the other blade and the other rotatable insulator, and means between the two rotatable insulators for-restraining the gearings from turn-- ing as unitary bodies with .their respective rotatable insulators.

9. A switching unit comprising a switch blade, a supporting structure therefor, a rotatable insulator supporting said structure through means including a bearing, a driving connection loe-- tween the insulator and the blade, a second switching unit similar to the first unit and adjacent thereto, and means connecting the blade supporting structures of the two units to prevent rotation of the structures with their "respective insulators.

l0. A switching unit comprising a switch blade, a supporting structure therefor, .a rotatable insulator supporting said structure through means including a bearing, a driving connection between the insulator and the blade, a second switching unit similar to the rst unit and adjacent thereto, and means connecting theblade supporting structures of the two units to prevent rotation of the structures with their respective insulators, said last means comprising a bus bar extending circuit connections to the two blades.

ALFRED ALSAKER. ELIAS S. CORNELIUSSEN. 

